Meet The Malfoys
by TheWarriorQueen
Summary: Written for Olga, anonymous reviewer of Meet the Parents. The sequel to Meet the Parents. Oneshot. Complete.


**Written for Olga, anonymous reviewer of Meet the Parents. The sequel to Meet the Parents. Oneshot. Complete.**

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter is mine! Oh look, here come those nice men in the white coats! They've come to take me on holiday again. ~whispers~ They always give me such a nice padded room...**

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Scorpius Malfoy sauntered up towards his family manor with a confidence he did not feel. The marble structure gleamed forbiddingly in the noonday sun. Tall, wrought-iron gates opened soundlessly on well-oiled hinges. Beside him, his girlfriend, Rose Weasley, adjusted the hem of her skirt nervously. He held out his hand, and she took it in a grip that left him wondering if the Manor had any Skele-Gro left. She ran a hand across her hair, which was as haywire as her nerves.

"Hey, you don't have to come in with me," Scorpius offered. "I'll explain to Mother and Father alone. Cassie should be able to help." They advanced steadily up the polished white flagstone drive for a moment more before Rose replied.

"Thanks, Scorp, but Hufflepuffs are loyal. What kind of girlfriend would I be if I left you alone to face your parents, when you came in with me to face mine?" she asked, quickening her steps and startling an albino peacock. The bird let out a noisy screech, as if to say that she did not belong in such splendour. Swallowing fretfully, Rose glanced at her pretty, but above all else practical, blouse and skirt, and wondered yet again whether she had been foolish to listen to Scorpius when he suggested that they show their real selves to each other's parents; show them who they had actually fallen in love with.

Approaching the ornately carved doors, Scorpius took a moment to brush aside an unruly tendril of hair that had crept into Rose's face. "Rosie, they'll love you. They just have to. I mean, what's not to love?" He half-smiled, one of his eyebrows quirking. Carefully, he laid one pale hand on the polished silver door handle, and pushed determinedly, ushering her into the vast foyer.

The first thing that struck Rose was the utter stillness. The immense house was as silent as a tomb. As they started towards the grand staircase, her elbow caught a tall vase and it began to tumble. Dropping Scorpius' hand, the brunette lunged, catching the priceless heirloom, but crashing to the floor. Scorpius swiftly helped her to her feet, setting the blown-glass monstrosity back on its plinth. He shook his head gently. "Maybe you should walk closer to the middle of the room. I'd hate for this to begin with a bang."

"Ha bloody ha, Scorp. Very funny," she retorted. They proceeded up the staircase with no further mishaps, and Scorpius did not so much as pause when they reached another set of ornate doors, these with emerald inlays depicting sleeping snakes.

Flinging the doors open dramatically, Scorpius announced, "Hello Mother, Father. This is my girlfriend, Rose Weasley."

Fifteen minutes later, Rose was more on edge than she'd ever been before. They were sitting around a glossy teak table and eating supper, but it was a far more formal affair than anything she had been to before. Rose had waited to see how much food everyone else took, and was dismayed to see that apparently it was good manners for a woman to eat tiny portions. Even Cassiopeia, renowned at Hogwarts for eating as much as any boy and remaining slender, was serving dainty morsels for herself. Then Rose glanced down at the cutlery, and blanched. She had no idea which fork went with what.

Cassiopeia saw this, and the blonde girl leaned over, whispering, "From the outside in." Rose sent her a grateful smile and looked back up, meeting the gaze of Draco Malfoy.

"Scorpius tells me you create art from needles. How did you discover such an unusual hobby? I get the impression he does not mean needlepoint."

Rose smiled. "It all began in our first Transfiguration lesson. Matches to needles, you know. I was bored, and so I kept making more and more needles, and decorating my hat with them. Strangely, they formed a rose, and after that I was hooked. So many patterns can be made… In a way, it's like sculpture, sir."

"That is… quite unique," the man replied politely, clearly not understanding how fascinating it could be. "Do you have any other hobbies?"

Rose saw Astoria Malfoy pursing her lips. The woman had made it quite clear, in subtle hints and innuendo, that she thought that Rose was a gold-digger, and not good enough for her son. Rose resented the implication that she was unable to provide for herself, and so she replied, "Yes, sir, I enjoy inventing Potions."

"Have you read Lewis' _Utitur De Ligno Corticis in Convertendi Potiones_?" she asked, in a condescending manner.

The brunette fumed. "No, ma'am," she replied stiffly.

"Oh dear, and it is such an important work too."

Rose gritted her teeth. "Ma'am, with all due respect, it is not an important work."

"Oh, but it is," Astoria smirked. "It is what separates the Potioneer from the pretender."

Rose painstakingly folded her napkin and replaced it in its ring. Her voice was tight as she countered with, "If that is so, then it only does so by virtue of not existing at all. Lewis did not write 'Uses of Tree Bark in Transforming Potions', he wrote _Quare Numquam Uti de Ligno Corticis in Convertendi Potiones_, which is 'Why One Must Never Use Tree Bark in Transforming Potions'. Quite the difference, wouldn't you say?"

Draco's eyes widened. Clearly he had not paid attention to which Potions text Astoria had mentioned. "Well done, Rose," he said, shooting a stern glance at Astoria. "You clearly know your Latin, and your authors."

"Well, it pays to be aware of these things, sir," she returned smoothly. Under the table, Scorpius squeezed her hand.

The rest of the meal passed in relative silence, and when at last Cassiopeia suggested that they move to a more comfortable setting for some tea, both Rose and Scorpius were much relieved. "Rose, I think that we girls need a little time to spruce up first, don't you?" Cassiopeia asked.

"I suppose so, Cassie," she replied gratefully. As they left, she heard Scorpius say, "Mother, that was downright mean. At least pretend to be nice to her, okay?" When they re-joined the others, it seemed that the crisis had been resolved, and Rose relaxed at last.

As they stood outside the Manor gates, ready for Rose to Disapparate, Scorpius said, "Rosie, you handled tonight really well. I'm impressed. My mother was a nightmare."

"She wasn't that bad, Scorp," Rose lied.

"You always were a bad liar," he replied, kissing her soundly. "But I love you for it."

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**TWQ~humming~ Scorp and Rosie, sitting in a tree...**

**Scorp: A tree? How uncomfortable.**

**Rose: I'd fall out!**

**TWQ: Well fine then! Spoil my fun!**

**TheWarriorQueen**


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